To Follow the Dying Sun
by The Giant Daifuku
Summary: Sai has just recieved a new mission: escort the Fellowship and ensure its success in destorying the One Ring. However, will all his strength and skill be enough to hold off the evil denizens of Middle Earth? Formerly "The Fellowship of the Ring plus Sai."
1. Ringwraiths and Pretty Lights

**Hello! This is my second story that I've written. I always kind of wondered what would happen if Sai went into Middle Earth, so I kind of wrote this as a musing. If you guys enjoy it, I will keep writing. So that means, REVIEW AND LET ME KNOW!**

**Thanks, The Giant Daifuku**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing of Lord of the Rings or Naruto.**

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"_Sai:_

_I have received a very important mission request; it is of great urgency that you go to a land called Middle Earth _immediately. _Take only what you need, including your old ANBU gear, and report to the Hokage's office right away. Sorry, but we've been called away to attend to other matters._

_Yours Truly,_

_Yamato, Naruto, and Sakura"_

Sai touched each name.

_Longing__—__ noun: a persistent and strong desire, usually for somebody or something unattainable or not within immediate reach._

That was what his textbook said, he remembered, but he didn't really feel any such longing for anybody or anything. His only desire was to get the mission done; he used to be ROOT. He wasn't anymore, but feelings and emotions were still elusive and he was still (as Sakura put it) a social rock. _A rock…_ he thought contemplatively. _Yes… that's me. A rock. I feel… nothing at all. Or do I?_

Something was coming through the undergrowth. From his perch in the branches of an ancient tree, he observed a man dressed completely in grey, slightly bent with age. However, his step suggested he was full of energy, a spritely old man. The magic he radiated seemed to surround Sai like a tangible force. Sai was sure that, should he meet this man in battle, the outcome would most likely fall to his opponents favor. Luckily, he wouldn't have to fight.

"Er…" the old man began uncertainly, glancing around the clearing. "_I bear these flaming leaves as a sign…_" he started, holding up a small branch with each leaf carefully lit with fire, then waited for an answer.

Sai replied smoothly, completing the sentence: "_… to show our kinship in these dark times._"

Gandalf's hand flew to his sword, and he almost disemboweled the pale youth who hung upside-down from the tree before him. The boy dodged, bending backward toward the tree branches above, and the sword skimmed the air where his bare stomach had been.

"You have good reflexes, Gandalf the Grey," the boy said calmly, dropping from the tree and doing a neat flip to land on his feet.

"As do you… are you Sai?" the wizard asked.

"Indeed," Sai answered with a bow, removing his mask. Gandalf took in the appearance of the boy before him. His skin was very pale, and his eyes, framed with short black hair, were as black as a void, and blank as one, too. If Gandalf hadn't known Sai was on their side, he could have easily been mistaken as one of Sauron's twisted followers.

"Have you been briefed on the mission yet, Master Sai?" Gandalf asked. Sai smiled one of his fake smiles, the sight sending a little chill down the ancient wizard's spine. The Hokage who sent Sai to Middle Earth for the mission had mentioned that Sai had no emotions and would not hesitate to kill if told. The smile on Sai's face now, though it seemed genuine to the casual observer, disguised the cold, empty, ruthless persona underneath. Gandalf knew he was standing before a killer, a young boy with hands soaked in blood. And on this mission, they would only be stained with more.

"Just Sai. Yes, I have been briefed on the mission. Guard the Hobbit who bears the One Ring, protect the Fellowship that will be formed at all costs. For now, shadow Aragorn and the four Hobbits he protects." Sai listed.

"Your mission starts when they reach Weathertop. Many Ringwraiths await the company there, and I will go there early to drive them off. I regret I will not be able to see them." Gandalf said, hoping to illicit a question from the new shinobi guard. Part of the request Tsunade had asked of him was to help the shinobi regain the emotions that had been squashed out of him as a child.

Sai was unaware of his client's prompt, and said instead, "I will follow you to Weathertop. I wish to see these… Wraiths, as you call them, in person. Then I will commence my mission."

Gandalf sighed and looked the boy up and down. "I think this would be best. Keep yourself hidden. Don't let them see you until you meet me or get to Rivendell. The elves know that you will be there, and they have a general idea of what you look like. But here, no offense, Sai, but with your appearance, you may be mistaken for one of Sauron's minions."

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Five Wraiths awaited Gandalf at the ancient, crumbling watchtower of Weathertop, and the sight of them, and the aura they gave off caused a feeling to stir in his stomach, one he was only slightly familiar with. It was fear. But he had been ROOT; feelings weren't something he immediately possessed. The fear vanished.

On the tower, Gandalf gave off such a display of light and fire that the glow was seen for miles away. Sai made a mental note: _Light must be exploited when fighting Wraiths_. When Gandalf had defeated them, the Ringwraiths melted into the night, becoming shadows that drifted away and out of sight. The wizard, panting slightly, sat down and carved his name neatly into a nearby rock, in a script Sai could not read or understand.

"That was a close shave!" Gandalf exclaimed. "I hope you have a means to fight them, Sai. You'll probably like to know they dislike fire and water." Of course the shinobi could fight them. His range of jutsu and weapons included the standard explosive tags, flash bombs, fire jutsu, and water jutsu, too. "They'll be back soon," Gandalf continued. "You will not be able to keep them off your trail for long. Stay here; I will draw them off. You _must _protect Frodo Baggins. Until we meet again, be safe, young man." Gandalf mounted a brown horse that came sliding out of the surrounding forest, and rode away. Sai could feel the darkness of the Wraiths regrouping, and moving away with the wizard. He relaxed slightly and wrapped himself in a cloak to prepare himself for the rest of the night.

One day passed, and then two. The third day, five Wraiths (who knew if they were the same ones from before) arrived in the area surrounding Weathertop, and as the night drew closer, so did they to the tower. Sai was constantly on the alert, patrolling the perimeter for a sign of the Hobbits and their guide. They arrived toward the afternoon, and climbed the tower to a spot of relative safety. There, the lanky man with them presented the small Hobbits with daggers, though to them, they were probably more like swords. Sai watched them intently.

They displayed bonds that he'd seen between Naruto and his companions. The book called it kinship.

After a while, the man, who Sai identified as Aragorn, left to patrol the surrounding tower. One hobbit lay down to sleep: that was Frodo. Sai could sense the darkness surrounding Frodo, emanating from a tiny object he was keeping in a coat pocket. _That must be the Ring; what an evil chakra…_ Sai thought. The other Hobbits lit a cooking fire and began to cook. An hour or two had passed before the Wraiths began their advance, homing in on the fire. By that time, Frodo had woken up and, screaming in horror, stamped out the fire. The Wraiths screeched and advanced even more quickly. The Hobbits scrambled to the top of the tower, and Aragorn was still nowhere to be seen. Sai cursed; he might have to step in on this!

On the watch tower, it was getting bad. The Wraiths had dismounted their evil steeds and were climbing the tower on foot. They reached the top with their long swords drawn, and finally began their attack. Two swept aside the Hobbits who had formed a protective ring around Frodo. Pumping chakra through his feet, he sprinted up the side of the tower. The Wraiths were advancing on the helpless hobbit. Suddenly, Frodo's chakra levels, which been slightly below that of a normal human's, skyrocketed. Sai cursed again. _He must have put on the Ring,_ he thought.

Vaulting over the low stone wall surrounding the tower he was just in time to see the wraith sink a dagger into the air. There was a scream, and Sai assumed that Frodo was there. The words _mission failed_ flashed through his mind, until Frodo was suddenly visible and moaning in pain. _Still alive_. Sai concealed himself behind another wall, rolling a single light bomb into the midst of the Black Riders. It would stun the hobbits and keep them from doing anything stupid, and it would chase away the Wraiths, killing two birds with one stone. Or one bomb.

The bomb exploded. Even with his eyes closed against the glaring light, when he opened them again, spots danced in his vision. The Ringwraiths, shrieking, fled, retreating into the safety of the shadows, while the hobbits lay prone. Frodo, on the other hand, was gasping, making short agonized sounds, while grasping his shoulder.

Aragorn returned from his scouting mission almost as soon as the light had faded. "Frodo!" he shouted, seeing the blood flowing from the hobbit's wound. In a bound, he was at Frodo's side. Aragorn picked up the remains of the black knife used to stab the hobbit. Runes and sigils ran up and down the blade, and there was a notch missing at the tip. Sai, from his vantage point behind the stone wall, watched with interest as the knife turned to smoke and blew away, leaving only the handle.

"He was stabbed with a Morgul blade." Aragorn snarled. The other hobbits were beginning to move again. "Tell me everything, quickly! What was that light shining from the tower?"

"We don't know." Merry said, rubbing his eyes. "At least I don't. What about you, Pippin?"

"No." the youngest hobbit shook his head fervently. "My eyes hurt…"

Sam stumbled to his feet. "Instead of bickering about the light, let's get Mr. Frodo some help!"

Aragorn picked Frodo up, having a care to the hobbit's injured shoulder. "It drove the Black Riders away, at least. This wound is beyond my skill. We'll have to get him to Rivendell." They moved away from Sai's position and down the steep sides of Weathertop. Clambering down himself (walking down the side of the tower) Sai once again melted into the night. It was as if he was never there, and only the memory of the light that flashed above Weathertop remained.

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Done with the first chapter. If people like it, I'll keep writing. Also, check out my other story, Protecting Harry Potter, if you are a Naruto/HP crossover fan. Characters include Gaara, Naruto, Temari, and Sakura, and obviously, the Golden Trio. Please review!


	2. The Race to Rivendell

**I'm really surprised actually by how many people saw this… quite a handful! I'm glad y'all stopped by to read this.**

**TGD**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Lord of the Rings or Naruto.**

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As he tracked the hobbits and the Ranger to a small dell called the Troll Fells, Sai could feel some warmth rising within him. To put it into words, he decided, it burned at the base of his throat and bubbled in the pit of his stomach, and the heated prickle of it was all over his body.

_Anger__—__ noun: a strong feeling of grievance and displeasure_. Yes. That was how he felt. Angry for letting the hobbit Frodo get hurt. Angry for not being more involved in trying to keep all of them out of harm.

Sai sped over the tree tops, scouting for danger. At length, he withdrew his drawing scroll from his pack and perched himself on a branch. Swiftly painting several ink mice and birds, he endowed them with artificial life and watched as they vanished into the forest night. The wind felt very comforting against his bare midriff, and he inhaled the scent of greenery feverishly. It was at that time that he smelled the Black Riders once more.

_They regroup quickly_, he thought. By now, Sai could recognize their scent anywhere, a pungent smell of death and decay that clung to anything they touched. They would kill anything that got in the way of their prize, their goal. Their mission. Sai allowed a crooked, bitter half smile to twist onto his face, against his better training. _That be the case, how different from them… am I?_ he asked himself, before suddenly suppressing the thought. Suddenly, he felt much better, more relaxed. Although he hated to admit it, this was when he felt best: with nothing in his mind but the mission. No feelings to get in the way. Yes. He was just like the Ringwraiths. A tool in the hands of his client and in his greater leader. That was him.

An ink hawk spotted irregular activity and relayed the images back to Sai, who closed his eyes as the wave of information entered his mind. A tall, beautiful dark haired woman was gliding into the rocky clearing Aragorn had set up camp in. Her ears were pointed. Without effort, Sai remembered the information he'd acquired and identified her as an elf. Though a different "species" from men, the immortals tended to throw their lot in with the lesser beings, and were therefore not a threat.

This elf, when examined for any traces of power, seemed to shine with starlight. Most of it was concentrated at the base of her throat, radiating from a twisted silver pendant. _The Evenstar._ Sai thought absently, before realizing that the elf maiden was pulling Frodo up onto her white horse. He moved like a shadow, closer so that he could hear their whispered words.

"If I take Frodo on my horse, I can get to Rivendell faster, and to my father. You know he could be saved. It is not too late, Estel." The girl said, looking up into the ranger's eyes.

"Arwen. There are Black Riders up ahead, and the matter of the mysterious light on Weathertop… I cannot afford to lose you. Neither can your own people. Get yourself back to Rivendell and call reinforcements." Aragorn whispered, twining a rough hand into her slim fingers.

"Frodo is already beginning to fade. We cannot linger any longer. We cannot lose the _ring bearer._" Arwen answered. Finally, reluctantly, Aragorn consented, and with a thunderous gallop, the horse sprang away into the forest with two riders on its back. Sai was after them like an arrow from an elven bow, without even a shaking branch to indicate he'd ever been standing on it.

The other hobbits and the ranger were safe. There was no reason for the Wraiths to attack them. It was their true objective that would be ruthlessly hunted, pursued, and killed. The Ring bearer.

The sun was rising from the east, but to Sai it seemed as if someone had drawn a smoky veil across the sky, and the pure warmth of the glowing sphere did not reach his pale face. Arwen, the elf, rode on across the weathered forest, skillfully guiding the horse, dodging trees and maneuvering over loose ground. It was here that the Riders found her, and they spurred their horses forward to close the distance.

Silence was obliterated with an explosion of sound; the noise of groaning, shrieking horses and hissing Ringwraiths filled the morning air, as well as the sound of grumbling hooves striking the rocky ground. Arwen's eyes were dark with defiance as she also urged her horse on. To fall back would mean death.

Ignoring a twinge of pain from exhaustion that traveled up his leg, Sai drew several kunai and shuriken from a hidden pouch, each of them equipped with a length of steel wire. He threw them through the trees, weaving a metal web that glittered faintly in the false sunlight. In his reading, he knew that the Wraiths had poor vision and relied on other dark senses to guide them to their prey. The Riders would never be able to sense the fine wires.

Arwen spared a quick glance behind her to check the progress of the Ringwraiths. To her surprise, three of the evil horsemen were struggling in a mess of spindly tree trunks and branches, surrounded by a barely detectable glimmer of some kind of string.

However, the other Ringwraiths, after seeing the blunders of their companions, had somehow gotten by the trap and were bearing down on her.

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Sai's heart plummeted in his chest when he saw Arwen move toward a barren stretch of land. Without the trees to shield him, he would have to resort to using a jutsu to camouflage himself with his surroundings. On the other hand, using his chakra here might alert the Ringwraiths to his presence, if his suspicions were correct.

There was no time to waste. The Wraiths had almost caught up with Arwen, and the least he could do was draw some of them off. He cast the camouflaging technique, his image flickering out of view. At the same moment, his heartbeat pulsed irregularly, warning him to the drain in his chakra system. If he didn't stop to rest soon, he'd be drained to zero and die.

But he didn't care if he died. He was a tool, and tools were never truly alive to begin with. A few of the Riders, confused by the sudden flux in energy nearby, veered away to investigate the source. Just as he planned. Sai's fingers whipped through seals, finally ending with: "_Water Style! Water ball jutsu!_" He took in a deep breath, letting the chakra build inside his body until he released it into a great blast of water from his mouth. The Riders screeched with hate and terror as the liquid splashed over them, and in their haste to move away, caused the horses to fall beneath them on the uneven ground.

Once again, Sai's heart gave a throb. Now he could feel better if he died, if he felt anything at all. Arwen had gotten away, splashing noisily across the Bruinen river. Here, Sai let the jutsu fall as he entered the scant tree cover growing alongside the river. He was panting now, his body occasionally giving spasms from strain, but he managed to drag himself under the relative shelter of a scraggly bush.

The last Riders stopped at the edge of river, hesitant to go on. Their leader ventured a little into the shallows.

"_Give us the Hafling, she-elf._" it grated. Arwen drew herself up courageously, brandishing her sword above her head and causing her horse to rear a little bit.

"If you want him, come and claim him." she retorted. The Wraiths drew their swords.

"_Then you will die_." The horses plunged into the river, coming straight for her. Sai tried to move, but he couldn't. Numbness was licking at his arms and legs, and darkness ate at the edge of his eyes.

Arwen, though, had plans of her own. Looking down at the water swirling past, she began to chant, words that swelled with power. With a shuddering crash, the river swelled, a huge torrent of water gushing forth in the shape of galloping horses filled with crushing boulders and trees. With cries of anger and pain, the Wraiths were washed away downriver.

Sai lay his head down on the rocky bank and closed his eyes. At least Frodo was safe now. Darkness rose to greet him like an old friend, extending a warm blanket that covered his mind like fog and clouded up his thoughts. He let himself drift into this darkness, losing himself in its emptiness until he felt no more.

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Is Sai dead? Well, I don't intend to finish this fanfict anytime soon! Please read and review.


	3. Many Meetings and the Fellowship

**I have finally updated! Sorry for making you wait a month. I have a HUGE project right now, so I can only work on the weekends. But I enjoyed writing this chapter, and it will serve as a good transition to Chapter Four.**

**I do not own anything by Masashi Kishimoto or J.R.R Tolkein.**

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Sai opened his eyes slowly, wincing as a few pebbles fell from where they had embedded themselves in his face. He hurt all over, his body still weak from being drained almost all the way to zero. Actually, he was surprised he was still alive, but he supposed the magic emanating from the elven land had preserved his remaining chakra somewhat while he was unconscious. If he had to continue fighting, it would seem that staying near land imbued with natural power to draw on would be to his advantage.

He struggled out of his shelter under the bushes. The last thing he remembered was the Ringwraiths being swept down the river by Arwen's spells. Hopefully, Frodo was still alive, and Sai's mission hadn't failed because the she-elf was unsuccessful in her attempt to get to Rivendell. Out of habit, Sai swiftly brushed dirt and a few stray leaves from his clothes and hair. Then he endeavored to cross the river. Without water walking, he had to do it the old fashioned way, and the clear water splashed around his legs and tugged at his ankles. The water was as cold as ice; it flowed quickly, threatening to drag him downstream. Yesterday's Sai could have made it across— but not today's. After attempting to ford half the river, Sai gave up and leaped out of the water, though his knees creaked with strain. Sending the minimal amount of chakra to his feet, so that he was barely held above the freezing water, he walked across the rest of the Bruinen. Sai staggered up the dirt road and, hugging the tree-line, crossed into the grounds of Rivendell.

_I'm surprised the elves haven't caught me yet._ Sai thought as he tracked Gandalf's powerful energy signature into a secluded wing of the building. It was quite easy to stay hidden from prying eyes, even if they were elven. The elves loved trees, and coincidentally, so did Sai, as he could hide with little effort among the green and red foliage. The trees of Rivendell were full of life, unlike the spindly trees near its border, fuelled by the magic of Elrond's Ring. Sai heard quiet voices from a balcony above, and walked up the wall to peer into the room. He looked inside just in time to see Frodo leaving and Gandalf rising to his feet. Silent as a cat, Sai slid over the railing and touched Gandalf's shoulder.

Once again, the wizard jumped, hand flying to the edge of a sword that was not there. Luckily, before the wizard could utter a spell, he realized who he was seeing.

"Sai!" the wizard exclaimed. "You seem to have fallen on hard times, my friend."

Sai caught sight of himself in a mirror and grimaced. There was dirt and angry red pebble marks smeared across his cheek, and several cuts a few minor bruises on his arms and legs. His skin was paler than ever, almost an ashy grey, and his eyes, once shining with cunning, had dulled with exhaustion. Sai arranged his face carefully to a vacant, empty expression to hide his weariness.

"Your services have paid off, though, young man. If you had not taken down so many of the Riders, Arwen would not have made it in time, and Frodo would have passed into shadow." Gandalf said, uncorking a flask hanging at his belt and handing it to the tired shinobi.

Sai sniffed its contents, which smelled sweet and very pleasant. "What is it?" he asked automatically, unable to detect any poisons in its depths.

"_Miruvor_, an elven brew. It's mighty good for raising one's spirits and strength in a pinch. I have had a room with a bathroom attached set aside for you, if you would like to come with me to see it. Please relax here, you have done enough for now." Gandalf said, smiling warmly. Sai took a sip of the Miruvor, and was instantly gratified by the cool feeling that rushed through his body, relieving his pains and briefly rejuvenating his tired limbs.

The room Gandalf led him to was something Sai had only seen when he was guarding a lord or person of higher prestige. Wood carvings spiraled up the four posts in the corner of the room, and the bed's headboard was a beautiful wooden sculpture of an elven maid with her arms spread as if in welcome. The far end of the room opened up onto a stone balcony framed with purple silk curtains that swayed in the cool breeze.

The bathroom was extravagant. The bathtub was huge, sunken into the floor and filled with steaming water and scented herbs. A towel and a spare set of clothes had been set by the rim of the tub.

Sai glanced around the room to make sure it was empty before closing the door and stripping. His clothes were a mess, filthy from travel and use. He would have to get those cleaned, it was hardly worthy of a place like this. The ninja sank into the water with a sigh of relief. His arms and legs were sore as all get out, but nothing like a hot bath and _long_ bed rest would get rid of that.

When his fingers were as wrinkled as dried plums, Sai rose from the tub, almost dragging himself from the warm depths. He ignored the flashy elven clothes for a black sleeveless top and his regular black pants. Shuffling to the bed, Sai fell on top of the covers and was lost in dreamless sleep.

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Sai woke up extremely hungry. He could smell food cooking somewhere nearby, the scent drifting in through the open windows and mingling with the fresh aroma of blooming flowers. Standing slowly and stretching, he was about to leave in search of Gandalf (and something to eat) when a knock sounded on the door.

"It's me, Sai. Open the door, young man." Sai was relieved to hear Gandalf's voice. He wrenched the door open to see Gandalf standing with another tall man who resembled Arwen.

"Master Gandalf and… Lord Elrond," Sai said with a bow. "I presume you wanted to see me, then." he moved aside to let them in. A young elven girl carrying a silver tray with breads, cheese, and wine followed the two men in, and Sai eyed the food hungrily. Elrond and Gandalf seated themselves at a table Sai hadn't even noticed was on the balcony.

"Please, dispense with the formalities." Elrond said, gesturing to an empty chair. "You may sit and eat, though I do not know if you would like to drink?" the elf poured Gandalf and himself a cup of rose red wine from a silver pitcher.

"No thank you." Sai said, seating himself next to Gandalf and taking a small bun from the tray. It was sweet and fluffy, containing no filling, unlike the kinds of rolls and buns found in Konoha, but Sai didn't really care. He swallowed, and found the eyes of Elrond upon him. He lifted his lips in a fake smile. "Is there something you would like to know?" Sai asked. The elf lord lowered his eyes and put his cup to his mouth, drinking long and slow.

"I have lived tens— no… hundreds of lives of men, and yet I have not met one as you, young Sai." Elrond began. Sai dropped his smile, choosing his normal blank expression. It seemed that Elrond could see straight through his façade.

Elrond examined the boy before him. The face that had been carefully sculpted into a perfect—and almost convincing— smile fell into one that fitted the personality beneath much better. The pale lips dropped into a level line and the black eyes, slightly closed in a happy pretense, opened into dark pits that contained not a spark of life.

"You are only a child, yet you are so well trained. Mithrandir has said that where you come from, you are a warrior, yet, as one soldier to another, I can tell you are something more." Elrond continued ignoring the uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach. Possessing fear and nervousness was not something that had earned him prestige on the battlefield.

"Indeed." Sai replied, lacing his fingers together in front of his face. He peered at the elf over his knuckles with cold, calculating eyes. If Gandalf had noticed it as soon as he saw Sai, Elrond was even faster. This boy was not just a soldier. Even soldiers had some semblance of emotion. This boy was certainly no novice either. His eyes were the hard evidence of an experienced killer, and assassin. No amount of training to stamp out emotions could have removed that from his face.

"Gandalf also said that you chased off a good many Ringwraiths by yourself multiple times. I thank you for it; if you hadn't, my daughter would not be alive, and neither would your charge, Master Frodo Baggins." Elrond said, draining the rest of his goblet.

"You don't need to thank me." Sai waved off the comment. "It is my duty to protect him."

Gandalf chose then to speak. "There will be a great meeting today, and we will decide what to do with the Ring then. I was hoping it could stay in Rivendell, but that would seem not to be the case."

"I have said so already. Places like Bombadil's woods, Lothlorien, and Rivendell are becoming islands under siege. The Ring has no sway over Tom Bombadil, yet he would be the worst Guardian. He would forget about such a 'petty gold trinket' and lose it. We cannot afford such an evil to exist. There is only one way to be rid of the thing. We must destroy it in Mount Doom— it is the only way." Elrond put his cup down a little fiercely. "We will speak more at the meeting. I would like to invite you to attend and… you can meet your charge formally then."

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Sai determined that the meeting was somewhat of a failure. As the elders argued, Sai fixed his eyes on the Ring. It was hard to believe that something so small could be the source of the heated argument, but he had seen the twisted power the Ring called. Possessing a Ring was what had created the Ringwraiths, and now pursuing the Ring, they hunted his charge mercilessly. He closed his eyes. Somehow, he could tell that the Ring was also holding sway over the council. How else could this stormy fight have blown up so quickly? It manifested itself as a dark cloud hanging low over the heads of the council, twisting their thoughts ever so slightly. And all the while, Sai could swear it would be laughing, had it a voice.

"_I will take it!_" Frodo's voice rose shrilly above the din. The chatter ceased. Gandalf closed his eyes in defeat. "I will take the Ring to Mordor… although… I do not know the way." he said in a much smaller voice. Gandalf put a hand on his shoulder.

"You did not think I would let you go by yourself, did you, Frodo? Of course I will lead you on this dark journey."

Aragon also stood. "If there is any service I could render you, I would give it. I give you my sword."

Legolas, the elven prince from Mirkwood, stepped forward. "And you have my bow!" the gallant elf said.

Gimli stood too. "And my axe!" It seemed he was not going to let the elves and men have all the glory. Reluctantly, Boromir of Gondor offered his service.

"It seems that you carry the fate of us all. And Gondor will see it done." He said proudly.

"I'm going with him!" Sam shouted, running out from behind the pillar that hid him. Gandalf raised an eyebrow at Sai. Sai knew what the Wizard was asking: _Why didn't you catch him earlier?_

Sai leveled a bored stare at him._ Wasn't ordered to. _But he knew there were more.

"It hardly seems that you are separable, seeing as he were invited to a secret meeting and you were not!" Elrond said exasperatedly.

"Then we're going to!" Merry and Pippin scrambled forward. Elrond looked surprised and angry, opening his mouth to object. "You'd have to tie us up in chains and take us home in a sack if you didn't want us to go!" Merry shouted before the elf could say anything.

"Very well… nine walkers to carry the fate of the world… you shall be _the fellowship of the Ring!_" Elrond said impressively. "But please, be seated now. It is time we introduced the tenth member." A murmur swept around the council.

"Sai, please step forward."

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EVIL AUTHOR! CLIFFY ENDING! I want to make sure I write the next part extra well. Please review, because your input helps motivate me and it helps me improve.


	4. Trek through Eregion

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**Chapter four is finally out! I apologize to all my readers for my delay. I saw a few questions in my reviews, so here are some answers.**

**Guardian Runai: Question: It seems a little out of character for Gandalf to be disturbed by how Sai emotionless in chapter one. Care to give a comment on that?**

**- I don't think that Gandalf has ever really met a soldier as "dead" as Sai. I am sure that he's seen a lot for his time, though. Also, Sai is pretty young, about Fifteen, right? Seeing someone considered a child acting like a hardened murder is pretty disturbing.**

**Have yet to get an account: I'm still kind of wondering why Sai seems kinda weak... it could just be the fact that I'm used to reading fanfics where the ninjas are ridiculously powerful, but I dunno...**

**- I was holding off having Sai use all his good techniques because I wanted to avoid it becoming like the Anime or Manga where Naruto discovers the Rasengan, then uses it every time to the point where it becomes predictable. I didn't want it to be Sai using the same technique over and over again. Also, Sai's abilities are the Fellowship's ace in the hole. If you have an advantage, you don't let your opponent know you have it.**

**Well, thanks for your questions, because it lets me know how I am doing writing in the fanfict.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Lord of the Rings.**

**Also, there were some formatting errors in earlier chapters. This is because while I had the format in my original document, I forgot that they were deleted in the fanfiction document. These are now all fixed.**

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_Annoy- v. to make somebody feel impatient or mildly angry._

In the ensuing silence, Sai could feel the emotions around him were changing wildly. There was mild curiosity, fear, and a faint trickle of anger.

Then the whispers began. _Human._ _Child_. _Incapable. Human. Human._

"I am not a human." Sai let the words drop almost inaudibly from his lips. "I am a tool designed to carry out the orders of those who have hired me." The mantra and teachings of ROOT were still ingrained deeply into him. As much as he had been exposed to the burning inferno of emotion known as Naruto, it was hard to change.

"I believe that Sai is more than capable enough to aid the Fellowship in their quest to destroy the One Ring." Gandalf said over the buzz of complaints. "If there are any who doubt him, let them stand forth and I will answer their questions."

Before the ancient wizard, the dissent ceased. "But, I think that a demonstration may be in order, Sai, to fully convince those who still would have another way." Gandalf whispered.

"Understood." Sai pulled a small art scroll from his pocket, dipping the brush into the dark ink well. He drew a long squiggle, holding the picture up for all to see.

"Oh my, a squiggle." Boromir said airily. "We could take on orcs with a squiggle."

Sai smiled his fake smile, the one he'd learned from Sakura, placing the scroll on the stone table in the middle of the clearing. "No, we could not take on orcs, sir, though you may wish it so." he said, missing the Gondorian's sarcasm. He clasped his hands before his face. "_Choujuu Giga_: Beast Scroll Replicas!" Like black lightning, the squiggle became a snake, raising its head from the paper and shooting forward to wrap its body around Boromir's torso. There were audible gasps of surprise, and Boromir leapt to his feet, struggling against the ink bond.

"I commend you for being able to capture me, boy, but it is only ink!" he shouted, flexing his great muscles in an attempt to break the "rope". To his dismay, they would not break.

"Only a highly skilled ninja can break that, I am afraid." Sai said smoothly. "And once that happens, they will reform about my captive as I will them to. Someone like you could never hope to do so." He finished the ink lion, raising it to show his captive audience.

"You are not to kill him, Sai." Gandalf whispered from his spot behind the ninja.

"It is against my contract to kill him. He belongs to the Fellowship now. But it is…" Sai paused, searching for the right word. "… Amusing, for me to watch him struggle." Gandalf looked at Boromir, who was desperately rubbing his back against the edge of his chair trying to slip out of the ink bond.

"That is quite amusing, as you put it." Gandalf agreed.

Sai performed the seal again, and the lion raced off of the page, a fearsome snarl on its inky lips. Boromir turned in time to see the beast crashing down on top of him, pinning him to the ground with a huge paw.

"I cede defeat! Get it off, boy!" he yelled, face red with humiliation. Sai casually punched the lion's head, and it splashed to the ground. It gave him a twinge of satisfaction to see the man twitch as the black ink fell upon his back and face. At the same time, the snake dissolved, leaving a dark stain around Boromir's arms and chest. The man climbed to his feet, looking as if he had been through a shower of orc blood.

"Do you doubt me now, my lords?" he turned to the surrounding elves, men, and dwarves.

"I believe that demonstration has confirmed your position among the Fellowship, Sai. Congratulations." Elrond said. "Go now, and take my blessings!"

* * *

The Fellowship set out from Rivendell early in the morning, when the sun was barely peaking over the Misty Mountains. A slight fog had rolled in, but was swiftly burning away under the sun's golden rays. Sai preferred leaping from tree to tree, scouting ahead for any danger, than actually traveling with the Fellowship, where he would be subject to a bombardment of questions from the Hobbits or angry glances from Boromir. The man who Sai had used for his demonstration never ceased to mention, when the ninja was in close proximity, how he would have won, if it were a fair fight. Sai knew the man was trying to annoy him: it was behavior described in his textbook.

But he could not get angry. He didn't know how; it usually ended with Boromir being the one annoyed by Sai's failure to respond to his jabs. And in a fair fight (Sai took this to mean when Boromir actually had his huge broadsword in his hands) Sai was willing to bet he could still win. He was very good with a tanto.

They were reaching the end of Elrond's domain now, though, and the trees were giving way to a wasteland of holly bushes, known as Eregion.

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Gandalf watched as Sai melted into the surrounding landscape, without a sound of a cracking twig or shaking branch to show where he'd gone. He shook his head with a smile, remarking to Aragorn, "Ever a busy body, that boy! Can he not rest until his mission is complete?"

Aragorn tried his best to detect any sign of the ninja, to no avail. "He's well trained, that is for sure." Aragorn said quietly. "I am of the Dunedain, the rangers, who spend their lives on the hunt. My eyes are keen, and so too my ears, yet I cannot even pick up a trace of him." Gandalf chuckled.

"He is a shinobi, Aragorn. It is his job not to be traced." the wizard replied. Gimli looked back at Legolas, who was also searching their surroundings for the ninja, with distaste in his eyes, but merriment twinkling in their depths. _Finally, something that elf cannot do!_ Frodo looked around uncomfortably, his hand instinctively tightening around the Ring. One that could not be traced could easily take the Ring and be gone. Is that not, as it seems, the purpose of rings? To be lost? Lost and found again, another's treasure. _Precious_.

That snapped Frodo out of his reverie, and he shook his head as if to clear it of the foul thoughts. "Are you okay, Mr. Frodo?" Sam asked him, concern written into every line of his face.

"Of course, dear Sam. It's not been long, why! We have only been walking at least a few hours!"

Up ahead, Merry and Pippin were bickering over a few mushrooms scrounged from between two tree roots. "But I _found_ 'em!" Pippin was yelling. "And I get to keep the big one!"

"Ah, come now, we're friends! Can't we share? Just a bite…" Merry was begging, trying to reach around the smaller hobbit in order to snatch at the mushrooms. Pippin raised them over his head, out of the other hobbit's reach. Legolas intervened before Merry punched Pippin, reaching over and relieving him of the mushrooms.

"Hey!" the hobbits yelled in unison.

"Because it seems that you cannot have mushrooms without every orc in Mordor hearing you squabble over it, I shall keep these until further notice." the elf said, stowing them away in his pack.

The green faded to grey: they had crossed into Eregion. Even the hobbits fell silent at the oppressive quiet pressing down upon them. Sometime during the march, Sai had rejoined them, but his blank, pale face only added to their misery.

Night fell. Stars winked into being, one by one, until the night was full of them. Not even the pure, blinding white moon outshone the twinkling stars. Sai laid on his back, staring into the sky, a sketch pad on his stomach. It was even bright enough to draw, so he had. In his picture, pastel yellow stars swirled in an endless blue black sky. He scrawled a title in neat letters at the bottom: simply, _Night_. After Sakura had told him why people named pictures, he tried doing it more often, but he wasn't very good at it.

"It has to have meaning!" she had said. "Why did you draw it?"

_It looked nice_.

"Like drawing, do you?" Aragorn came to sit by him.

"Yes." Sai glanced at the ranger.

"The night sky is beautiful. It reminds of… a certain person." Aragorn rambled slightly.

"Is this… person… important?" Sai asked, his curiosity piqued.

"Yes, very." Aragorn replied, showing Sai the twisted silver flower that hung from his neck. "This is from her, see?

"Mm…" Sai wished he could say something more. "Do you… love… her? Is that the right word?" he suddenly asked.

Aragorn looked slightly taken aback, but then his eyes softened as he tucked the necklace back under his worn coat. "I suppose I do. What about you, Sai? Do you have somebody important to you? That you love?"

"No. To love is to endanger a mission and… I do not know how. I understand the concept of friends—" Sai wrote "friends" absently on a stray sheet that had been lying on his stomach, then wrote "love"— "But I cannot understand _this_. I don't need to though," Sai said hastily, seeing the Ranger's raised eyebrows. "A tool does not need to understand love or compassion or… useless baggage such as that. A tool needs to understand its purpose: to kill. To murder with no remorse. I am such a tool." Sai smiled with seeming cheer, but it only caused Aragorn's insides to turn cold. It was strange how the boy had seemed so open moments before. It was like a door slamming shut, as if directly speaking on the subject of love had reminded the boy of what he was to do.

"I am sure that you will understand one day." Aragorn said, getting up to leave. "Can you take first watch? I will take second."

"Understood."

* * *

The night passed with no sign of orcs, though Sai's mice and snakes picked up traces that the creatures had been through Eregion a few days before them.

"We must make for the Redhorn Pass. Winter is almost upon us, but if we make a quick march, we can make it on time before the pass is closed." Gandalf said.

Boromir shook his head. "I say that we go through the gap of Rohan, and then to Gondor. My people will protect us."

"The Gap of Rohan is too close to Isengard, and I fear it is being watched." Gandalf replied.

"The Redhorn Pass is too dangerous, Gandalf! We could go through the mines of Moria. My cousin, Balin, would give us a royal welcome." Gimli suggested.

"I would not go through that realm of darkness unless it is as a final resort. I have not yet heard if the evil that awoke in the Deep has been vanquished yet, Master Gimli." The wizard answered.

"It may be possible for me to fly over the pass." Sai said quietly. The Fellowship turned to stare at him. Sai drew an eagle, and it came to life, waiting for its master to mount.

"I do not trust it." Boromir said, eyeing the ink animal.

"You are simply sore from your last defeat." Legolas quipped, and the hobbits laughed.

"We might as well try, but flying over is also a gamble: should there be turbulence, we may all fall to our doom." Gandalf said.

"You act as if I have never flown upon a bird before, sir, and this is my very own technique. Do you not trust my skill?" Sai asked. Gandalf could not argue the boy's good logic, and gave in.

"Very well, we shall give it a try."

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Woo! Please read and review, because I want to know what you think. Perhaps this chapter was a little… mushy?


	5. Sai and the Ring

**Here is a slightly longer chapter, about three and a half pages. I could have made it longer, but it the interest of time, I needed to make it short and sweet.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Lord of the Rings or Naruto.**

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The bird flapped wildly under its burden, rearing its head like a war horse, before arching its back and leaping skyward. Sam suddenly vomited off the side of the animal as the ground dropped away at dizzying speeds. Frodo's hands were gripped around his companion's arm in an effort to keep Sam from tumbling over the edge in his sickness. Boromir had his eyes squeezed shut, while Legolas scanned the ground for potential orc snipers. Gandalf sat back indulgently.

"It is just like riding an eagle!" he exclaimed merrily, long beard blowing in the cold wind, long fingers clutching his hat.

"It is an eagle," Sai confirmed, "of my creation." Aragorn looked at the ninja, admiration in his eyes.

"It seems truly useful to have a ninja around, now. Can all ninja do what you do?" he asked.

Sai shook his head.

"No," he replied, voice almost inaudible over the winds that were becoming colder and fiercer. "It is my special ability, though not a blood-line trait. In my home village, you will not find many ninja with the same capabilities as I." _because I was ROOT. _He stopped himself from saying so. As far as outside of the organization was concerned, ROOT did not exist. As a tree's roots ran underground, invisible from above yet supporting the greater tree, so did ROOT support Konoha.

Dark clouds advanced over the mountain top. Sai urged the bird forward faster with a small increase to the chakra that fed its existence. Snow drifted down, cold against his bare midriff, and he regretted not thinking to wear his cloak before embarking on the flight. It was too late now. Lightning flashed ahead, and the wind became furious. Sai made the bird fly lower, closer to the mountains, between chasms where the bird's wingtips brushed snow from the wall's sides.

The wind was getting fiercer. Sai shifted his weight against a wind that would have flipped them into an icy wall if he had not moved to balance the bird. At the same time, he could smell a faint scent, the sharp tang of wizard magic that left a sour taste in the back of his throat. As if to confirm what he thought, Legolas called over the howling winds,

"There is a fell voice in the air!"

"Saruman!" Gandalf cried, struggling to his feet on the rocking bird and almost getting blown from its back. He raised his voice to the winds, hands over his head, crying a counter spell. The acrid taste of the magic grew stronger in Sai's throat, and the hair on his arms and head stood up. The clouds darkened to the purple of a bruise, before a bolt of lightning raced at them, the very air screaming as it was torn apart.

Sai had a split second to think before they were all incinerated by the lightning bolt. A blast of wind hit them, and he let it throw them into the mountain. They fell onto a snow covered ledge, the bird dissolving into a mass of ink that splashed down on them like unholy rain, stark contrast against the snow. The lightning hit somewhere above, dislodging a huge pack of ice and snow and causing it to tumble down upon them, burying them.

Legolas was first to recover, scrambling out of the snow and shaking it out of his hair and eyes. He swiftly found and dug out Frodo, whose face was pale and shivering. Sai pulled himself from a particularly deep drift, and after patting himself down to be sure nothing was lost, aided Gimli in pulling his stumpy figure from its icy tomb.

Gandalf managed to mutter a word of heat, and the snow quickly melted around them. The fellowship breathed a collective sigh as their bodies were warmed, but it was short lived, for when the spell wore off (and wear off quickly it did), the cold returned.

Gimli raised his voice to roar over the storm. "I told you, we should have gone through the mines! We cannot continue—" his voice was briefly cut off by a sharp blast of wind "—it is suicide! We must turn back!"

"Frodo! You must decide!" Gandalf shouted in return. The Ring bearer stared at him, eyes glazed and heavily lidded.

"I-I…" Frodo moved his lips, but slumped back against Sam for support. Sai recognized the look from the faces of soldiers and ninja on missions in the Snow country; should Frodo sleep now, he would never wake up. He picked his way along their precarious perch to the hobbit, grabbing the front of the Hobbit's brown waistcoat. The ninja set about waking him up, just as he and the other ninja did to each other as they succumbed to the cold: slapping Frodo awake with brisk strokes of his black gloved hands.

"Hey you! Stop that!" Sam tried to interpose between the human and his master, but was not prepared for the iron strength in the arm Sai used to push him away.

"If we do not stop him from sleeping, your master will die." Sai said coldly, leveling his empty stare on Sam. "I cannot allow that." he returned to Frodo, who seemed slightly more awake, though his head continued to loll. He smiled in what he hoped was a warm way at Frodo, who looked at him somewhat gratefully, before turning away. But as he turned, Sai glimpsed the Ring.

He gasped. Voices entered his head, swirling, whispering, appealing to the stumps of his emotions (_we can help you; we can get it back for you_). Sai clutched his head in his hands, shaking it to try to dispel the dark desires that rose to his mind (_you want to be free, you want to feel what it is like to be alive_).

"No!" he growled, struggling to return to a state of impassiveness. The Ring held him in thrall, it would not let him go (_take us, use our power to turn on Danzo and break free_). The Ring was eating him, it knew all his secrets, was pushing through like a worm, sifting through memories that were long forgotten (_we can bring your brother back…_). How? He had trained so hard to keep this kind of mental torture away. He had, in fact, been tortured before, but this was like nothing he'd ever felt before. The Ring had crashed through his defenses like a tsunami through a toothpick dam.

And then he knew why it could hold him so. His new emotions were to blame, so delicate and fragile, a budding flower, so inexperienced, and so vulnerable. And the ring, and its dark master Sauron, drank from the flower like a hummingbird, drinking his will dry.

So Sai did the only thing he knew that could stop the wild creature that had suddenly been born in his mind. He let his emotions go again. The Ring hissed in his mind, the voices screaming (_why? we could give you what you want, all that you desire, just take it!_) and crying, and he could feel it almost like a real creature in his flesh, trying to force him forward, to lunge for the terrified hobbit in front of him, to sink nails that had become claws into his skin and rip his throat out with sharp teeth, to drink its blood and take the ring. It scrabbled at the fragile flowering emotions, and he let them go, fluttering away, a silent goodbye.

The bloodlust was fading; the hellfire that had burned brightly in his eyes was dimming and finally winking to nothing. His face went slack.

Sai finally managed to put his hands on his knees and gasped for air. "Hide it, Frodo. You must never let anyone see it." Frodo nodded mutely, shoved the Ring into his jacket. The rest of the Fellowship looked on at him with wary horror, and indeed he could not blame them. "I am fine now," he said, taking deep breaths. "It cannot hold me anymore."

Aragorn moved forward first, helping Sai up from where he'd collapsed on the path. The first thing that he noticed was that Sai's eyes, which had always seemed flat, were now vacant, completely empty.

"What did you do?" he asked, dreading the answer. The weird flat eyes shifted toward him, the equally blank voice replying,

"I let my emotions go. They were useless baggage. They only slowed me down. I am a tool. I cannot afford to have emotions anymore." It was a painful reminder of the night before, but now Aragorn was afraid that the slammed door had locked now. Sai looked at Frodo. "I apologize for earlier. I had meant to help."

Gandalf looked at the ninja pityingly, but asked Frodo in a gentle voice, "Which way shall we go, Frodo? Through the mines? Shall we press forward?"

"We shall go through the mines. I want to leave this place behind."

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The entrance to the Mines of Moria was concealed in a sheer rock face beside a boggy lake. The hobbits were restless, seemingly frightened of the dark, treacherous looking water. Indeed; it seemed they were more frightened of the water then of Sai, for they clustered closer to him, perhaps for protection, and at this, Boromir snorted.

"He'll murder them all and take the Ring, and then we will all be doomed." he said. Legolas raised an elegant eyebrow.

"And what will you do, Boromir, should the Ring open your heart and fill it with promises?" The elf asked smoothly.

"I would refuse, like any red-blooded human," came the swift and sure reply. Aragorn shook his head.

"It is not so easy to refuse the lure of the Ring as you would hope, Boromir." he whispered.

"You have heard the Ring?"

"Yes… in fact, many times. It promises power, the ability to take back the throne of Gondor. I only have to reach out and take it, and all my wants can be true. But the Ring plays false; the only way that it would have power is in the hand of Sauron." Aragorn mused. He looked to Sai, who painted a set of snakes and set them winding into the trees. "Sai," he called, and the ninja looked up at him quickly. "What did the Ring promise you?"

"To be free." Sai replied enigmatically.

"The Ring's freedom is slavery." Aragorn said, slapping a strong hand on his shoulder.

_I am already a slave_. "I believe Gandalf has shown the entrance to the Mines." Sai said abruptly, standing up. Indeed, the moon had come out from behind a bank of clouds, and slowly a silver door appeared in the mountain side.

"I did not know the dwarves used Elvish letters. I cannot read these, though." Frodo said, gesturing to the writing on the door.

"A long time ago they used the letters, when there was an alliance between the dwarves of the mountain and the elves of Golden Wood. The letters here are ancient." Legolas said quietly.

"_Speak, friend, and enter_. It's a riddle!" Gandalf proclaimed.

"What does it mean?" Frodo asked.

"It is quite simple," Gandalf explained, waving a hand at the door. "If you are a friend, you speak the password and the doors will open." He put his staff against the door, and said some impressive sounding words in an ancient, arcane tongue. The doors remained shut. For the next hour, the wizard continued in this matter, and the Fellowship grew restless. Pippin amused himself by throwing stones in the lake, watching the splash and dark ripples. Aragorn caught the hobbit's arm.

"Do not disturb the water," he whispered the warning. Sai looked across the glassy surface, absently drawing a few ripples in the painting he was working on. Something was not right. The feeling of a predator was in the air, but there was nothing on the land.

He dropped a few stray drops of chakra infused ink from his brush into the lake, and the drops became fish, swimming swiftly and almost invisible in the black water. In his mind's eye, he saw all that the fish saw: plant detritus, bones, and a grinning skull here and there. And then something moved, stealthily lashed out at the fish, and from where he sat, Sai saw the ripples in the water.

"Aragorn, there is something out there." he whispered, as one by one, the pictures faded from view in his mind's eye. In the last moment of his final fish, he'd seen a tentacle. Perhaps it was some kind of squid.

"Aye, it is the Watcher in the water. No one knows where it came from, only that it is there." the ranger replied. Sai watched a chevron make its way toward them.

"Gandalf, you should hurry." he warned the wizard, who had just thrown his staff down with a low growl of frustration.

"What is the elvish word for 'friend'?" Frodo suddenly asked. Gandalf's face broke into an understanding smile.

"_Mellon_." he said, and the doors, with a deep, creaking rumble, opened.

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Thank you for reading! Please review!


	6. Travels through Moria

Welcome back, all. I was actually a little excited writing this one, I think it is one of the more action-packed pieces of this story so far. If not the most.

Also, just a note, I have recently become engrossed with Final Fantasy XII. To be specific, a certain sky pirate named Balthier, for those familiar with the game and its story line. So I will most likely write a FFXII fanfiction starting very, very soon. Don't worry, I won't forget you, Sai!

Well, happy reading.

Disclaimer: I don't own the Lord of the Rings or Naruto.

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The doors opened with a noise akin to a giant clearing its throat, rocky debris tumbling from dislodged places. Gandalf stood back, a cheery smile upon his face, before sweeping forward into the darkness beyond the Doors of Durin with Legolas, tailed by the hobbits and rear guarded by Aragorn, Boromir, and Sai. The mirror like surface of the water rippled, distorting the image of the moon reflected there. It did not escape Sai's notice— he warily drew his tanto as his other hand filled with shuriken. The echoes of the ancient door opening had stilled, and the air was quiet. Much, much too quiet, like the moment just before a battle is joined. Sai tensed, as still as the stones themselves.

He barely had time to react when a long, wet arm shot past him into the darkness after the retreating forms of the Fellowship. Three long finger-like tentacles wrapped themselves around Frodo's leg, dragging the hobbit screaming and clawing toward the raging black waters. Mutely, Sai stabbed downward with his rectangular blade while throwing the shuriken toward the leviathan figure below the lake's surface. The vale was shrouded in shadow as the clouds drew a curtain across the moon, veiling the scene below in darkness.

Sai's first strike with the tanto had severed the creature's arm clean off, some dark semblance of blood dripping from the stump. That did not stop three more arms from slithering out of the depths, two fending the rest of the fellowship off while the last grabbed Frodo around the waist and lifted him into the air. Below him, the Watcher heaved itself from the water, rubbery lips pulled back from yellow teeth, ready to devour him. Legolas loosed an arrow, and the creature snarled as it caught the arrow in a fleshy tentacle. The elf cursed in Sindar; it was too dark to aim properly, he might hit Frodo! Boromir splashed noisily into the fray, his round shield before him and his great sword swinging. Aragorn hacked partway through a limb before it was retracted, covering his face from the spray of water as it plunged back into the lake. All the while, Frodo dangled helplessly over the Watcher's jaws, screaming helplessly. That was when Sai saw Aragorn slash through the tentacle holding Frodo captive.

Whether it was intentional or not, he did not know, but it gave him the opportunity to rescue the hobbit from the monster's grip. In an instant, Sai pumped chakra to his eyes, and the night leapt into focus. He could see Frodo falling with heightened vision, and leaped through the air, twisting to avoid a frenzied strike from Watcher below. He used his momentum to slash through a thick arm that suddenly appeared in his way, and as the appendage dropped away, he snatched Frodo out of the air with the arm holding the tanto, while flinging an exploding tag attached to a kunai toward the monster's head.

They landed in the water with a loud splash, and Sai used chakra to clamber onto the surface, shouting at the same time.

"MOVE!"

Several things happened at once. The first was that Aragorn and Boromir, heeding the shinobi's warning, scrambled from the water, not knowing what was going to happen next. The second was that Gandalf, in an attempt to aid them, flared his staff with magical light, illuminating the scene that was unfolding. Third, Legolas, suddenly able to see, loosed an arrow straight into the Watcher's eye, which made the beast give a thunderous groan that deafened the Fellowship momentarily. Finally, Sai activated the exploding tag planted on the Watcher's head. In a ball of fire and roaring sound, it engulfed the monster in an expanding ball of burning orange light.

Sai reached the shore, picking his way around burning bits of the Watcher that gave off the faint smell of cooking octopus, and set Frodo on his feet in the shallows, the hobbit splashing ashore on his own power.

"Is it dead?" Pippin asked shakily, his voice squeaking.

"It is too early to tell," Gandalf said, peering at the flaming spectacle before him. "That creature has been there long before the dwarves came to Moria; there is a reason it is long lived. Hurry; let us away in case it is not dead." The Fellowship hurried into the realm of Moria, just as four wet tentacles weakly broke the water's surface and began to tear down the doors.

Charred and faintly glowing with embers, the Watcher rose above the surface again, pulling itself with faint growls and moans out of the water, bringing down stones and great logs to seal the Doors of Durin. The Fellowship looked on, an air of horror about them as their only escape route was quickly destroyed.

Its job done, the Watcher slid back into the water.

When the noise stopped, Gandalf lit his staff, throwing the pale faces of the entourage into sharp relief.

"_We have but one choice. We must face the long dark of Moria_." The wizard said, his voice grim and hollow.

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Outside, the clouds parted again, and the moon shone silver rays into the vale. Light winked among the broken stones; the remains of the doors reflected their secret back to no one. The water was still as glass, a mirror to the heavenly body that showed its face to the earth once more. The pure reflection of the moon on the water was stained with unholy blood.

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Armor and weapons clanked as they trooped through the Mines, Gandalf's staff illuminating a small yellow circle of light to follow. Even without enhanced senses, Sai could hear the scurrying of small feet and the muffled chirp of creatures in the dark. Apparently, Legolas could hear them too.

"Goblins," he said quietly, as Gandalf tapped his staff against the ground and the light shown a little brighter. The darkness retreated a little more. "The light will hold them at bay, until they have us where they want."

Sai glanced at the elf. "And when we are there?" Legolas gave a sad smile.

"You can sense how many of them slither in this dark tunnel. No matter how strong we are, what art we employ, we cannot hope to win." he answered.

"So you consign yourself willingly to death. I do not understand…" he began, but Legolas stopped him with a hand motion.

"I did not expect you to understand, but even as a tool, you should be able to understand hopeless battle." the elf said, trying a new tact. Sai nodded, it was something he knew.

"But I do not recommend despair as a good… attitude… to enter the fray," Sai said. "My books on emotions have said that people who have high hopes and staunch courage do better than those who are already defeated within their minds." Legolas blinked.

"That is wise council."

Sai channeled his chakra to his eyes again, piercing the darkness with a steady gaze. "And if numbers are to our disadvantage, we can make strategy an advantage. They are not skilled fighters. Their only benefit is their numbers. Do not underestimate my skills at eliminating the unskilled, Legolas of Mirkwood." he admonished placidly.

"And do not underestimate our strength, either, Master Sai." Boromir sniffed, dropping back to join in their conversation. Sai read the between the man's lines. _Do not estimate my strength, little boy_. It was meant to raise hackles that did not exist. He did not deign a response, glancing at the man as he strode past to walk in the front with Gandalf. Legolas gave a long suffering sigh.

"Must you be so aggravating?" he asked.

"I do not aggravate, I merely protect the honor of the Fellowship!" the man returned.

"You mean your honor."

The man's mouth opened and closed. "Let it go, Boromir. I think it will take you a long time to defeat that child." Legolas shook his head, silvery blonde hair rippling like a stream.

"I don't believe I ever will. Watching him— always pulling another trick from his sleeve."

"And it is those tricks that have saved us." Legolas let his words hang on the air as he took slightly longer strides to catch up with the hobbits, who scurried about and jumped at every noise.

* * *

"Where are my kin?" Gimli murmured, trying to peer ahead of them. "I expected welcome earlier than this," he paused, kneeling by a body clad in dwarven armor. "This is no goblin cadaver. It is a dwarf!" he whispered, stricken.

"This is no mine, Gimli." Boromir said to the dwarf, who was looking increasingly desperate as more and more corpses entered the range of Gandalf's light. "It is a tomb."

Sai gently prized an arrow from between the ribs and the chain links of skeleton. Its mouth was open in a grisly scream. He presented the black barbed head to Legolas and Aragorn. He did not know why he chose the elf and the Ranger over Gandalf; perhaps it was he felt the most comfortable around them; as if they understood him and his ways. Gandalf meant well, and had perhaps thousands of years of wisdom over the others, but he could be too grandfatherly at times. Perhaps another reason he chose them was their expertise with the ranged weapon; both carried a bow and quiver of arrows.

Sai opted to think it the latter; he did not want to believe that the emotions he had so recently cut away were already growing back. It disgusted him and weakened him, filling him with desire and traitorous thought. The Ring had not been entirely untruthful when it said he'd wanted to break free from Danzo. Hadn't he already begun to try to cast off those chains? Even though Danzo still held command over him, he had already left ROOT in an attempt to regain independence from the great war machine. It turned out that when he threw off those chains, invisible ones had clamped themselves like vices back upon him. Emotions were harder than he thought.

"What do you think?" he asked of their opinion on the shaft. Legolas held it up, examining it closely.

"It is of Goblin make. No doubt this is their work," he said bitterly, sweeping his arm over the field of carnage. Aragorn nodded in agreement, and Gandalf came to stand next to them.

"We must keep moving. As much as I mourn the passing of these stalwart soldiers, there is nothing we can do for them." he whispered urgently. Wiping tears yet unshed from his eyes with a dash of his gauntleted fist, Gimli stood up fiercely, climbing up the stairs just behind Gandalf.

"He does well to overcome his sorrow. Grief will weigh him down." Sai murmured, but something stirred inside of him. The stout warrior did not know all of the fallen, but he still was able to mourn them freely. The only mourning Sai had done was attend his "brother" and the late third Hokage's funeral; and then, he did not know how to feel when his "brother" died. He stopped when he heard something resembling the Ring's whisper in the back of his head.

(_Funny you should speak of desire. That is a feeling, no? You call yourself a tool. What tool has any desire but that of its wielder? You would do well with me… together, we will do great things._) Sai laughed in his mind. He knew this voice now. It was the same one he'd heard on the mountain, and realized who it belonged to.

Himself.

Somehow, he'd come to understand the Ring. It must have been because he himself was also like a void, empty of things that usually made one have "humanity". The Ring didn't actually _possess _its bearers or victims per se; it was more that once a desire was realized, the Ring pushed one to attempt to make it a reality, twisting it ever so slightly, like a strangler vine climbing a mighty tree from the shadows. And when the dream came true, when the sun shone upon the Ring bearer, the vine would bring them crashing down and devour them.

"I know you. You are I, and I am you. Perhaps I do desire, but my desire is always to complete my mission, and you are a tool of mine. _My_ desire is yours," he said to the dark part of his almost nonexistent conscience. For a moment, he expected it to answer back, but shook his head.

"Madness," he hissed, beginning his ascent on the steep staircase. At the top, Gandalf was seated upon a rock, staff across his lap. The rest of the Fellowship idled about him. The hobbits had seated themselves at the base of the rock, and Frodo was deep in conversation with the wizard. When the hobbit suddenly looked down the stairs, Sai followed his glance to see a vaguely humanoid, grey shape crawl into the shadows. He came to sit next to Frodo and Gandalf, the hobbit nodding to him respectfully and Gandalf giving him a cheery smile. No matter the situation, he always seemed to have a smile ready. Sai returned it with a fake smile that was like cold steel. It was times like these, when they were in close quarters, that the true nature of people seemed to come out.

Frodo was tight lipped and pale, terrified by what lay ahead, and no doubt of the Ring's influence on his mind, and Gandalf, while grim, still exuded that calm and powerful aura that soothed ones worries. The hobbit stole a glance at Sai, who was examining the three passages with a black gaze. He hated to admit it, but as much as he was a help, the ninja terrified him somewhat. He didn't know why, but whenever Sai was around, the faint scent of blood never failed to reach his sensitive nose.

"There's something following us, as Frodo saw," Sai was saying. Gandalf replied in a low voice.

"It's Gollum. He's been following us ever since we left the Redhorn pass; some three days now, I think. Though, you have probably known he was there the whole time."

Sai nodded. Beside him, Frodo took a deep breath.

"Have you ever killed a man, Master Sai? Besides orcs or other creatures?" the hobbit asked suddenly. Sai glanced at him.

"I have driven away Ringwraiths before, Frodo but I have never killed an orc… I look forward to seeing if it is any different from a man." he said smoothly, with his razor blade smile.

"So you _have _killed men!" Frodo gasped in horror.

"Many, many times. I've lost count." Sai sniffed the air. Frodo shuddered.

"How can _you_ smell anything over the repulsive reek of blood rolling off of you?" he whispered.

"Ah, you can smell it? It figures…" Sai let the sentence trail off. _It must be the Ring heightening his abilities_. "But it means that I must wash more thoroughly, doesn't it, Frodo? I would not know, I am far too used to it now… " It was meant to be a joke, but the hobbit shrank back toward Gandalf, who regarded Sai with sad eyes. The ninja shrugged, before pointing down the middle passage with a black gloved finger.

"That one? Ah… yes, the air is not quite as dank." Gandalf exclaimed, climbing to his feet. "Thank you."

They descended deeper into the Mines, footsteps echoing through the hallowed halls.

Little did they know, one of their worst nightmares was moments away from becoming a reality.

* * *

YES! I FINALLY GOT OUT A LONG CHAPTER AND I DON'T CARE THAT I SPELLED ANYTHING WRONG IN THIS RANT!

Right. Please, review.


	7. The Lord of the Lash

Hello, all! It seems that I have abandoned this story, but that is not the case! I welcome you back, and thank you for bearing with me even through my unexcusable sluggishness in getting this out! I fear I have been distracted lately by a rather new obsession of mine, and will be exceedingly more distracted, but do not worry! Sai, I have not abandoned you!

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

* * *

Little in the world can be said to rival the Dwarf city of Dwarrowdelf in terms of awesome size and might. Carved columns of stone rose from the floor and vanished somewhere in the distant ceiling high above, arranged like soldiers ready for battle.

In the deep, Sai could hear the scratching noise of armored feet scraping against stone, the dragging of weapons too long for the bearer. When Gimli spotted the lonely moonlit tomb, Sai clasped a hand on his shoulder, keeping him from rushing toward it.

"There is no time," he hissed. "Goblins have been alerted to our presence by the sound of the doors falling."

"They already come." Legolas looked toward the ceiling.

Like termites from a disturbed nest, masses of goblins swarmed from the various cracks in the ceiling, armor glittering like insect carapaces. They leaped from holes in the ground, giving shrill war cries and threatening the Fellowship with their scavenged swords. Loudly in the deep, battle drums beat the goblins to act.

Thus, the battle was joined. Sai drew a battalion of lions, and they peeled themselves from his paper, roaring and tearing into his foes. Ink eagles circled the immense halls, snatching goblins from the fray and dropping them onto their comrades, until the eagles themselves were boarded and brought to ground, subdued by the sheer amount of goblins on the ceiling.

Sai used his tanto to deflect a few arrows that whistled at him from the darkest reaches of the hall. Goblin snipers were taking advantage of his distraction fighting the ground forces and fired at him freely. He created an ink clone in hopes of using it to pick them off, but the clone, for all its speed, was destroyed by numbers before it got too far.

Boromir blew his mighty horn, the sound traveling into the deep. The walls rolled it back at them thunderously, and the goblins shrieked in terror, cowering and covering their ears.

Gandalf froze. "Rash was that decision to blow your horn, Boromir, son of Denethor." He murmured. "The end of Durin's reign was not brought through an attack led by goblins or orcs, but a creature swathed in rolling flame and shadow."

"But passing up a gift is even worse, Lord Gandalf. Look at them— we could make good on an attempt to escape while they are frozen with fear." Sai said.

"The lad is right. Follow us, we will cut a path! There is still yet one more dwarf in Moria who would fight until the finish!" Gimli bellowed, whirling his axe above his head.

Blood, black as a moonless night, flowed like a river through Moria's hallowed halls, sucking at their boots like a living creature that would swallow them all. Frodo slipped, his bare feet sliding on the slick stone floor, but Legolas caught him before he fell.

The elf bore him through the chaos, the screams of dying goblins, the whiz of arrows and the thud of swords, sure footed on the blood-wet floor. Frodo closed his eyes, not opening them until Gandalf raised his voice.

"Quickly, to the Bridge of Khazad Dum!" A shadow broke from the walls, surging forward, licking up the blood, devouring goblins whole. The scent of burning flesh filled the ancient hall, and Sai felt desperation tug at his heart as he ran. He could not outrun this danger, not this time. He could not succeed…

They reached the bridge, turning to see their foe. It reared out of the roiling shadow, belching flame and covered with black, leathery skin. "A Balrog of Morgoth… how long has it slept below the earth, a creature older than Sauron himself?" Aragorn whispered in awe. Gandalf stepped forward to face it.

"I am a servant of the secret Fire, wielder of the flame of Arnor. The dark fire shall not avail you, flame of Udûn!" Gandalf roared. The Balrog snorted, then roared, the deafening sound of crackling fire filling their ears. Merry whimpered and cowered behind Sai as a wall of blistering heat rolled over them. The air burned inside his lungs.

The Balrog swung at the wizard with a sword made of black and red flame. Gandalf raised his staff, staggering under the blow, but the sword shattered against a shield of white light that blossomed around him. The creature snorted again in annoyance, flame shooting from its skeletal face. This time, it drew a whip, cracking it against the stony walls with a noise akin to thunder.

"Come no farther! You are not welcome here! Go back, back to the abyss that was prepared for you!" Gandalf summoned his power, seemingly growing in size, raising his staff once more. "You shall not pass!" He brought it down, a shockwave rippling through the ancient stone bridge. The Balrog took a step forward, with a massive scaly foot that took up the entire width of the bridge. The stone cracked, unable to withstand the behemoth weight put upon its back, and broke with a rumble. Screaming in rage, the Balrog fell, down toward the darkness, down toward the emptiness, down toward the center of the earth!

Gandalf turned away, suddenly appearing very small and frail, his eyes shut with some pain that he would not acknowledge fully.

Sai then smelled it—the smell of fire and brimstone, heard the sound of the whip uncoiling like a snake slithering through grass. He lunged forward, pushing Gandalf out of the way, just as the flaming end of the Balrog's whip appeared over the edge of the sundered bridge. He snarled in pain as the burning length of magic rope wrapped around his ankle, digging into his flesh and devouring his skin and muscle, all the way to the bone. The weight of the Balrog dragged him backward, back toward the abyss, and he fell to the ground, clawing at the uneven surface. In a stroke of luck, one of his kunai worked itself free of his leg sheathe, and he grabbed for it, rolling over even though the whip of the Balrog chaffed against his ankle excruciatingly. With two slices, he severed the whip, and the Balrog fell alone. The rest of the lash dissipated, fizzling out as soon as it he cut it.

"Sai!" Frodo yelled, attempting to make towards their fallen member, but several arrows hissed by, and Boromir grabbed him before he could be shot. The ninja dragged himself forward, using his arms, and behind the outcropping where they took shelter, breathing hard. Sweat poured down his face, and he bit his tongue to keep himself awake when he wanted to faint from the pain.

"Quickly, someone help him up. We must get out of danger before we do anything about his leg." Aragorn said. Boromir swooped down, helping Sai up on one side, and Legolas on the other. Half hopping, half limping, they managed to exit the darkness of Moria and emerged into the sunny slopes just outside of the back entrance to the mines. Sai flinched away from the sunlight, narrowing his eyes to shut out the painful light that lanced into his aching head.

Gandalf immediately grabbed Sai's leg, inspecting the wound. "It is as I feared," he said, between chanting spells to numb the pain and heal the least charred flesh. "There is a poison born of Dark magic in this wound, much like that belonging to the Ringwraiths. You should have let me be taken. As an Istari, I cannot be affected by poisons belonging to the Darkness such as this."

"So, given long enough, he will become a Ringwraith like Frodo was if they did not take out the Morgul Blade from his shoulder?" Pippin asked fearfully.

"No, fortunately he managed to separate himself from the lash before enough magic transferred from the Balrog to himself." Gandalf said, attempting to sound comforting. Sai struggled to prop himself up on his elbows.

"Then what does that mean? Poison still runs through my veins," he said. "Is it fatal?"

"It is not. I think you will only become more sensitive to the beck and call of the Ring and the Shadow, that is all. The venom has been made a little more potent than I would have liked it because of your… state of mental health," Gandalf explained, referring to the shinobi's blood-stained past, "but you will survive it within you."

"I am relieved to hear that." Sai said, exhaling. His vision was beginning to blur, but Gandalf continued healing his leg.

"We can treat him better in Lothlorien. Let us move: by nightfall, these slopes will be swarming with orcs." Aragorn said.

"Lorien! The home of the elf-witch? Surely you do not think we would be welcomed there!" Gimli gasped.

"Peace, son of Gloin," Legolas said as he helped Sai to stand. "We have Gandalf with us—that must count for some manner of trust, no?"

* * *

By nightfall, they had reached the eves of the forest, burdened as Sai managed to stagger along with the help of Legolas, Boromir, and Aragorn, regaining his strength slightly as the sun slid below the horizon. His leg still pained him terribly, but Gandalf's healing had at least managed to cover the bones exposed by the black fire of the Balrog's whip. For the most part though, his flesh remained a purple, red, black and pink weeping mass. "Sorry I could not be of more assistance, laddie," Gimli apologized as he stumped along in front of them.

"On the contrary, you would be of perfect height to be a walking stick for me." Sai replied tersely.

"Why, you little— I would cut your leg off for your insolence!" Gimli roared, brandishing his ax, but there was little fire behind his threat. He was joking, Sai decided.

_Joking: intransitive v— to be trying to be amusing, rather than in serious or in earnest._ He recited the definition in his head to distract himself from the sting as grass brushed against his wound.

When they passed under the first barrier of trees, tall, imposing things with white bark and leaves red as flame, his leg gave another spasm, and he bit down a groan. He felt sick, his head ached, and his vision swam, but he forced himself to keep going.

"I should not be here," he whispered, "I am a blight upon this holy place. My presence here… is sacrilege."

"Nonsense," Gandalf said, though his eyes darted about warily, searching for the elves who were doubtlessly watching. "Though a dark taint has permeated your body, your soul remains as pure as it did before. The Ring has not had time to work yet."

"Pure," Sai scoffed. "I am as pure as an orc."

"Gollum is here," Gandalf said, an attempt at conciliation, "He has follows us still. If you feel that your presence here, as one damned to the darkness, is blasphemy, than he should be blasted where he crawls."

Sai allowed tiny smile, a true smile, to grace his thin, white lips.

"And so he will be." An elf materialized from the darkness, along with a squadron of elven archers, each one with a bow and arrow trained upon the party. "Mithrandir, why have you come, bringing forth this Dwarf and those Men? You know that they are not welcome here. Especially the dwarf and the tainted one."

"Haldir, this is not the time to be holding grudges over any grief either one of them or their kind of dealt you in the past. We need your help." Gandalf said urgently. "He is wounded terribly— we must see the Lady."

"All in due time, Mithrandir, but you would let a taint so deep penetrate into the heart of the wood? I think not. Let him die, Mithrandir. Look at him! He fades before our eyes!" Haldir turned his eyes of storm grey upon Sai, who returned his gaze mercilessly, not hurt enough to forget to veil his eyes and hide his true nature, but he wobbled, his one good leg threatening to collapse. He channeled his chakra into it, relieving some of the pain, and stood taller.

"He is fading because he is _injured_, Haldir! Now, take us to the Lady immediately or stand aside. It is not your lot in life to be questioning the decisions of the Istari." Gandalf thundered. Haldir moved to the side, not in the least ungrudgingly, to walk next to the wizard.

"There are whispers though, of an Istari who wears the colors not only of white, but of many others as well. They say that he walks the Middle-Earth, even as we speak, leading the mortals astray," he murmured. "Do you know of such a wizard?"

"You say it as if I am the fiend himself! Nay— I am Gandalf, Gandalf the Grey, and Grey I am only. It is true, there is a man who was once an Istari who wanders the land, twisting the hearts of the people, but he has fallen far from the ranks of what we represent," the wizard replied.

Sai concentrated on putting one foot in front of the other, ignoring the flesh festering about his ankle. What did Sakura say about burns? Ah, yes. They needed to breathe. What about magic fires?

As if reading his mind, Aragorn said, "Galadriel will know what to do. She is wise and kind, and very powerful. There is nothing to fear."

"A she-fox, they say she is," Gimli argued, "Wily and cunning and not to be trusted. Stay close to me, hobbits. Here is one dwarf she cannot turn!"

"Then turn you, I shall not, for that was never goal and is not now." A she-elf walked toward them, barefoot, her feet making not a sound upon the dry leaves on the forest floor. Her hair seemed to be made from moonlight, and reflected the light of the stars in every strand. The white dress she wore was embroidered fantastically with leaves and vines in thread of silver, though Sai noticed that the vines bore thorns. "I welcome you to the Golden Wood, O Fellowship, and bid you rest beneath her boughs tonight. Have no fear, for here, you are safe from harm. Tomorrow, we have many weighty matters to discuss, but I will not trouble you with them now, for I see you are weary from hurt and toil." Galadriel intoned.

Gandalf bowed deeply, as did Aragorn and Legolas, forcing Sai to do so as well. He found that he could not lift his eyes to view her face— the light was too much, it seared his eyes. Yet, he heard her speaking to him, and him alone, even as she spoke to Gandalf.

"_Welcome, Sai, traveller from afar, guardian of the Ring Bearer, and slave to the Ring._"

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Yays!


	8. The Mirror of Galadriel

Thanks to my reviewers! I think that this chapter is a little (just a little) random, but I needed a transition for the next chapter, and this fit the bill. Goodnight!

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

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Sai wandered down the myriad paths of Lorien, golden leaves fluttering down around him. Even with crutches impeding his normal movement, he still made nary a sound upon the dry Mallorn leaves gathered upon the ground. The starlight caught within the lanterns illuminated his way, almost as if they were guiding him toward his destination.

There was a figure on the path before him, bent and twisted. It bore no love for the light, not in the least, and when it raised its head, he caught a glimpse of watery grey eyes. His hand raced for shuriken, but as soon as the metal stars left his grasp, the thing vanished into the night. Sai collected his weapons, examining the ground. There was not even a drop of blood to follow. He had missed completely.

"You have caught a glimpse of the creature Gollum, I see. I was aware he had crossed into the boundaries of the Wood, yet none of my warriors can catch him." Galadriel glided toward him.

"Were my leg not as hurt as it is, I would hunt him down." Sai replied with a bow.

"He has a role to play yet, I think. Gandalf and Elrond have both concurred with me. Let him be." Galadriel laid a hand on his shoulder. He flinched away from her grip as if it burned him. "Forgive me."

"It is nothing." Sai shook his head, then looked back down the path to where he could see Frodo sleeping on a pile of leaves, hand clutching the Ring. "I can hear it whispering to me in the back of my mind, ever and always. It promises me things, and says other things I can barely hear but fills me with desire."

"So you seek to distance yourself from them, because you fear you are weak." Galadriel began to walk down the path, and he began to follow her. "I shall tell you something, then. The Ring only offers its power to those who it believes are strong. Did you not think that I am also deaf to its sibilant hiss?" she smiled at him knowingly. "I too, am tempted, and so is Gandalf. We could take the Ring in an attempt to affect good, yet it will twist all that it touches until only the darkness remains. Now come, I would show you something."

She led him through the woods and into a clearing, occupied by a fountain and a pedestal with a ceramic dish in the center. With a silver ewer, she began to fill the dish, each movement heartbreakingly and treacherously beautiful. Sai found himself enraptured against his will. It was easy to see how Gimli and the dwarves had become so wary of her— it would be easy to fall under a spell, drowned by her beauty and her treacherous words. She had no place in this world, no place—

"Would you gaze into my mirror?" her voice broke in upon his wandering thoughts, and he lifted his eyes to see the dish had been filled with water, as still as glass.

"What would I see?" he whispered, stepping forward until he stood at the base of the pedestal.

"Not even the wisest can tell. It will show some things from the past, some things in the present, and… some things from the future. I would that you looked."

Sai climbed the steps without hesitance, obeying her order, and leaned forward. At first, he saw only his own reflection, his pale lips and cheeks and veiled black eyes, his ninja headband glinting in the moonlight. Then, it seemed that the water rippled, though not a breath of wind stirred through the clearing. His reflection began to move, darting through darkness and shadows along a familiar walkway that dropped away into an abyss below. The Ring tinkled from a silver chain around his neck. Danzo stood at the end of it, just as he always did, but there was something wrong with him. He was horrifically ugly and twisted, twisted as his black heart.

"Why won't you let me go?" the reflection Sai asked. "I just want to be free from you and experience the world through my own eyes, and not how you tell me it is. I don't want this anymore."

"What's this, Sai?" Danzo began to speak, but his voice was not his own. It was the sickly sweet voice of Orochimaru, the serpent that haunted his dreams. "Does the tool turn against its master? Sai, it does not matter what the tool wants. The kunai might not _want_ to stab the man lying before it, but it will anyway, for that is the will of its wielder. You are that kunai, Sai. You are _mine_."

"Lies." Sai said flatly. "I am not your kunai, or anyone's, for that matter. Your tyranny has come to an end. These 'weapons' you wield… they will all be free." He grasped the Ring in his hand, the power flooded into his body, and he knew it, he _knew_ it, with every fiber of his being, that he could kill the serpent that lay sunning itself before him. He dashed forward, and his tanto plunged down, once, twice, thrice!

Danzo lay on the walkway, his blood dripping off the side of the bridge, and Sai just stood there, smiling his fake smile, while above the ROOT headquarters, Konoha went up in flames.

Sai jerked back, eyes wide. Steam rose from the mirror as if there had actually been smoke and flame billowing from inside.

"The mirror has shown me what your deepest desire is, for it is in my mind as well." Galadriel paced the clearing sedately, graceful as a swan.

"What was that?" he asked, wiping a single bead of sweat from his forehead.

"That was what should happen if you took the Ring and used it to free yourself. You would get what you wanted, yes, but… it would be at a terrible, terrible price."

"And what would you get, Galadriel, should you take the Ring?" Sai narrowed his eyes shrewdly.

"I would be more powerful than Sauron himself. I could cast him into the Fire, and Middle-Earth would be reborn anew! A new race of elves would inhabit the Earth, and never fear the tyranny and conquest of darkness! The orcs would flee into the darkest pits and there they would fester!" She seemed to grow, awesome in her wrath and terrible in her beauty. "But I will not take the Ring. I shall pass on to the West… and I shall remain Galadriel."

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Yays.


	9. Parting Ways

Thank you reviewers! Have a good day! Sorry, this might be a little lacking in action, but… ah well…

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

* * *

They left Lothlorien the next day, bound down the Anduin River for the Rauros Falls. While the Fellowship received gifts that the elves knew would please, Galadriel called to Sai, beckoning to him with a white hand. From within a fold of her robe, she produced a vial of the clearest liquid he had ever seen.

"It is water from my Mirror," she whispered as she pressed it into his hand. "You may drink it when the path you follow is no longer clear."

"I will cherish it, my Lady." Sai replied, bowing. "If there is only something I could do for you to repay your kindness, I would do it."

"Your debt is repaid simply by guarding the Ring Bearer," Galadriel said. "In that one task, you do so much more than you think. Now go. May the Light of the Valar light your way." As the white canoes began to drift away down the river, Galadriel raised her hand in a solemn wave farewell, and Sai could not help but think he had witnessed an end to a great age.

* * *

During the day, Sai could not help but feel they were being followed, and that sense was heightened even more during the night. When he mentioned this to Gandalf, the wizard looked toward the sky.

"There is a fell shadow on the wind, and a dark cloud riding the water. Soon, one will catch up— but which one, I wonder?" Gandalf smiled, and Sai quickly glanced behind them. A pair of wet eyes gleamed at them in the night.

"Gollum is there," he reported as voices rose in his mind. _(Master…)(…come to us, little boy…)(Master…)(You fool…)(Flee, pathetic creatures…)(Master…!)(We can see you…)(Stupid little boy…)(Master!)(We will find you…)(MASTER!)_ Sai clutched at his head, struggling against the waves of conflicting emotion rolling in his chest. None of it was his, it was as if he was simply a medium for whatever was trying to take control. The voices rose to a clamor, reverberating, hissing and howling, screaming—

"Sai," Gandalf interrupted, and Sai focused on the sound of his voice. As if sensing his inner turmoil, the wizard continued talking. "I have thought about this long and hard. The fellowship is fracturing— the Ring drives wedges between our members. You can sense it, can you not?"

_Of course I can_, Sai wanted to scream. _I can feel it now!_ He did not trust himself to speak, lest poison pour from his lips. _(Fools, fools!)(We can see you…)(Foolish old man…)_

"We cannot continue together. Elrond and I, long ago, looked into the future with Galadriel. Do you know what I saw?" Gandalf asked. Sai forced his tongue to obey him.

"What…?" the word was like molasses, and he kicked himself for showing his weakness. Gandalf turned to look at him.

"All of us walked under the same shadow, yet on different paths of light."

A bat-like shadow swooped overhead, shrieking. Sai closed his eyes. (_WE SEE YOU!)(MASTER!) _His fingers twitched, and he could imagine the sound of breaking bones beneath them as he throttled the pathetic old man. _No,_ the part of him called Sai snarled. _Who are you?_

_I am… a tool… no heart… no feelings… no will… but Master's…_

_Who is your master?_ The bat creature wheeled overhead. Legolas, in the boat ahead of them, stood. Starlight glistened in his hair, throwing the shadows away. The boy in the back of the boat with Gandalf dearly wished it would chase the thing just under his skin out and force the darkness in his mind to retreat.

_Master…_

_WHO IS YOUR MASTER?_

_I…_

_Who holds our contract?_

_Gandalf… the Grey… Gandalf the Grey!_

Legolas's bow twanged, an arrow hissing into the darkness like the breath of a striking snake. The wheeling bat screamed, a cry of pure agony, before rising into the air with a thunderous flap and streaking toward the east. Three more rose from the hills on either side of the river, crying and shrieking as they fled.

"The Winged Messengers," Gandalf murmured, and Sai could finally hear him over the voices that lowered to an insidious whisper in the back of his mind. "That bodes no good for our company."

* * *

The Argonath were towering statues with their hands held out as if to stop any and all trespassers to their sacred ground. A pity, Sai thought, that they did not actually do that. Orcs crashed through the undergrowth, accompanied by the loud thud of heavier boots. There was a new kind of evil afoot— just as Gandalf predicted, the Winged Messengers were an ill omen. The wizard sat in bottom of the canoe, eyes closed, letting Sai steer. He was trying to come up with a plan, but unless the Istari knew of a way to make boats fly, the ninja did not see a way out of the situation without a long, bloody fight.

_Good,_ the new part of him that had blossomed like a vile flower during the night noted savagely. _We need it._

The boats docked, and Sai forced himself to exit it in a controlled fashion, searching the undergrowth for signs of their enemy. Secretly, he was relieved when Gandalf said,

"We will rest here for a while. Build a fire— fetch some wood."

_No, no, no! Tell them, we cannot stay another minute, we must away!_ The voice screamed. Sai suddenly agreed; he could feel the thunder of the approaching orcs in the soles of his feet, and smell their grubby bodies on the tainted air. Clearly, they had never heard of bathing after a battle or a hard fitness regimen. Sai quickly ran back to the camp, vaulting over fallen trees, before the Horn of Gondor blasted over his head. He paused, skidding to a halt before the fallen face of an ancient hero, torn between warning Gandalf and finding Boromir. A black crossbow bolt thunk'd into the tree by his head, and he quickly slipped behind it, pulling a scroll from his pack. He peered around the tree, searching for his attacker. It was one of the larger foes he'd seen from the boat, he knew; Orcs did not have the power to pull back the heavy launcher of a crossbow and fire it almost through a tree. He closed his eyes, listening to the sound of the forest rustling around him. The trees creaked and the leaves sighed loudly. Then he heard it— something else creaking. A crossbow.

Sai darted up the tree as a bolt embedded itself in the wood just where his head had been seconds earlier. He sent a barrage of kunai into the bushes where the bolts had come from, and by the stench of foul blood, he knew that he had hit, if not killed, his target. The forest creaked and sighed once more, and the river roared like an angry beast. Sai cautiously made his way toward the bushes, well aware of the labored breathing and grunting inside of it. The crossbow creaked.

He did not hesitate this time, throwing a handful of kunai into the bush. There was a gasping squeal reminiscent of a pig, and to his horror, the crunch of a firing crossbow and the rush of a bolt flying through the air followed it. A black bolt burst through his shoulder, screwing through tender flesh and thrusting its head from his back. Blood blossomed like a crimson flower across his dark blue shirt, trickling underneath and down over his bare midriff. Sai growled in annoyance as he snapped the bolt and pulled it out, tossing it to the ground. Bandaging his shoulder, he pushed the bushes aside.

Just as he expected, the creature was bigger than an orc. It had blackish red skin, like the color of mud, and long, lank hair. He examined the armor— it was thicker and heavier than that of the regular orcs, which would explain why his initial attack with his knives had not killed the monster right away. A lucky shot nailed the creature in the throat, but not before it shot him back. Boromir's horn ripped the air asunder again, and Sai was gone in an instant, bounding into the forest in pursuit of the Man, his hands busy drawing a lion on his unused scroll.

He burst into the clearing to find Boromir on the ground, broken and bleeding. The headless corpse of a behemoth creature similar to the one Sai killed (only much larger) lie next to him. A quick assessment revealed that the man, though fading rapidly, was not dead yet.

"Sai," Boromir gulped as the ninja set about removing the bolts peppering his chest. "They've taken the hobbits, Merry and Pippin— I tried to take the ring from Frodo—"

"Do not speak; it will make your passing less painful," Sai replied shortly, snapping another bolt. Boromir groaned.

"No, I must, I must say this! Sai… I've treated you so badly…" he whispered. Sai cocked his head.

"I took no offence to it," he replied.

"No listen— listen!" his hand twisted in Sai's shirt, dragging him forward to look into his eyes with failing vision. "If you're a man— a real man— you don't treat other people like I've treated. A good ruler is not made— when he ignores the people— and looks down upon them as inferiors—"

"Peace, Boromir," Sai said. "Do not waste your breath, for you have precious little of it already."

"No listen, damn you!" Boromir snarled, and a little blood slid down his chin as he struggled to rise. Sai pushed him back down. "I was wrong to treat you that way. I never liked you, so I treated you with arrogance and disdain, casting you out as someone not of our fellowship. I didn't realize until too late— that in doing that, I was no better than you, the very person I looked down upon."

"I am pleased to know your view of me." Sai said monotonously.

"I'm saying this for you own— good— Sai— if you cannot find compassion even for one you hate— as interminably as I have you—" Boromir was sinking rapidly, his voice coming in gasps and starts "— then you will never find peace—!" his last sentence ended with a long groan and rattle.

"I know that," Sai said quietly as he removed his hand from the rusted orc dagger handle lodged between Boromir's ribs. He wiped the sticky red blood coating his fingertips off on the warrior's shirt. "And I am at peace simply by knowing that. Come; I have granted you respite from the terrors of living and relieved you of your pain with a quick death," his fingers danced over the rusted dagger, caressing the hilt almost fondly. "Wouldn't you call that compassion?" Boromir did not answer, his eyes boring into Sai vacantly. However, the ninja fancied there was something accusing in that empty glare, and he reached out to close those eyes not out of respect, but to rid himself of the cursed stare. He slapped Boromir's hand, already going stiff, off his shirt.

_Serves him right_, the Voice said.

"Shut up." Sai replied. "I don't need you."

_Ah, but you cannot be rid of me._

"Go away." the Voice sank back into the depths. Sai started; he realized why the Voice had come back. The Ring was nearby— Frodo!

He dashed down the shallow rise abandoning the corpse, back toward the Anduin River, just in time to see Sam and Frodo climbing up the bank on the other side. In a leap and a bound, Sai splashed into the river, using a teleportation jutsu to intercept them. He dropped out of the air on top of Frodo, bearing the hobbit to the ground.

"Where do you think you're going?" he asked, crouching over Frodo like a predatory warg. Sam waved a frying pan helplessly as if he could brain the ninja with it.

"Sai!" Frodo gasped, his eyes wide with terror. "Please, don't hurt me, we're with Gandalf—"

"Gandalf is here?" Sai asked, looking up. Gandalf slid down the bank, glittering Glamdring the Foe-Hammer in his hand.

"Yes, I am here. I have come to lead Sam and Frodo to Mordor, across the Vale of Gorgoroth, and into Mount Doom to destroy the ring. I am glad you have decided to join us, young man." Gandalf smiled as he leaned on his staff. "The road ahead is safe; we should forge ahead before the Winged Messengers join the hunt."

"What of the others? Will they not be coming?" Sai asked, helping Frodo to his feet.

"You know of Merry and Pippin's fate, do you not?" Gandalf asked. "I have tasked them with the recovery of those two hobbits. We cannot let them fall into Saruman's grasp." He began climbing back up the bank, Frodo and Sam on his trail. "Now, are you coming, Sai?"

_Your debt is repaid simply by guarding the Ring Bearer_, he remembered hearing Galadriel say. He followed them, scaling the rocky hill with ease. He would guard the Ring Bearer, he would repay is debt to Galadriel, and he _would_ free himself from the Ring's damnation.


End file.
